The 1898 Battle of Omdurman in the Sudan arguably represented the peak of European domination of the world. A modest English expeditionary force with state-of-the-art Nile gunboats and machine guns massacred a much larger force of around 50,000 spear-wielding Africans. Technology largely determines the winner.
This was brought to mind by a report on Volkswagen’s increasing move to China.
VW Aims To Cut Development Costs In Half With New “Made In China” Car | ZeroHedge
“Volkswagen says it can build an electric car entirely in China at roughly half the cost of producing one in Germany, helped by quicker development, lower labor expenses, easier battery sourcing and a more efficient supply chain …
Although the strategy began as “in China, for China,” executives say the company is now considering exporting Chinese-built models and applying Chinese-led advances to its global operations. …
These moves come as VW continues to cut costs in Germany, where high production expenses and weak European demand have led to a plan to reduce its domestic workforce by 35,000 by 2030.”
As recent videos of Chinese car plants show, China’s growing manufacturing lead is due to higher investment in technologically-advanced automated factories, not to low wages. So where does this leave Europe, and more generally the West?
Rationally, Euros would eschew wasting money building technologically-inferior armies for future wars they cannot win. Instead, they would focus on internal development while avoiding entangling alliances. Unfortunately, just like an alcoholic, the Euros will have to hit rock bottom before they can change their current self-destructive behavior.